Stabilizing apparatus for sighting instruments



v. H Goon-um. STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTING INSTRUMENTS.APPLICATIONYFILED DEC. 22, 1919- 1,393,437, Patented 001k. H, 1921,

I6 SHEETS-SHEET l.

'v. H. GODILLON. STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SI GHTING INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22' 1919.

1,393,437, Patented 0011;. u, 19%

1B SHEETS-SHEET 2- I 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patgnted Oct. H, 1921.,

v. H. GODILLON. STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTING INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, I919- 1,393,437..

V. H. GODILLON.

STABILIZI-NG APPARATUS FOR SIGHTING INSTRUMENTS. 5

APPLICATION FILED mac. 22. 1919.

1,393,437, Patentd 00. 11,1921.

l6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I l a J 3 V. H. GODILLON. STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTINGINSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22. 1919.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921..

16 SHE ETS-SHEET 5.

V. H. GODILLON.

STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTING INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION mgo DEC. 22,1919.

I6 SHEETS-SHEET I I I B I i B 2'. E a. 5-

V. H. GODILLON. STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTING INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION mu) 020.22 1919. I 7 1,393,437., Patented Oct M, 1921.,

Hi SHEETS-SHEET 7- V. H. GODILLON. STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTINGINSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22.1919.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

16 SHEETSSHEET 8.

v H. GODILLON. STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTING INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, NW.

1,393,437. Ptented 001; 11, 1921..

I6 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

V. H. GODILLON. STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTIN G INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, I919- Patenteul Oct. 11, 19211..v

$6 SHEETS-SHEET l0.

v. H. GODILLON.

STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTING INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, I919.

1 931,437 Patented Oct, 11, 1921..

I6 SHEETS-*SHEET 11.

A M/ All I} V. H. GODILLON.

STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTING INSTRUMENTS.

APPLlCATION mu) Inc. 22. 919.

Patented 001:, H, 1921.,

I6 SHEETS-SHEET l2.

V. H. GOD ILLON. STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTING ,INSTRUMENTSLAPPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1919.

Patented Oct. H, 1921.

I6 SHEETS-SHEET l3.

V. H. GODILLON.

STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTING INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22. 1919.

1,393,437,, Patented Oct. H, 1921a 16 sums-mar l4.

llll ml liHl v. H. GODALLON.

STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR SIGHTING INSTRUMENTS.

- APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1919.

1,393,437 Patented 0st. 11, 1921.,

16,8HEETS -SHEET 15. I

' V. H. GODILLON. STABILIZING APPARATUS/FOR SIGHTING INSTRUMENTS.

. APPLICATION FILED 05c. 22, 1919.

Patented 0st. 111, 1921..

l6 SHEETS-SHE ET I 6- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Vroron HoNomi Goninvioro t H mes common, or Penis,FRANCE, ASSIGNOR r0 soorr'i'rr': DOPTIQUE 5;

IDE MECANIQUEDE HAUTE PRECISION, on Mars, FRANCE, A Jomr-srocx coivr-PANY.

LON, a citizen of France, and a resident of Paris, France, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Stabilizing Apparatus for SightingInstruments, which invention is fully set forth'in the followingspecification.

Thisinvention has for its object to provide an improved automaticcorrector for assuring automatically the horizontality or the fixity ofinclination of an indicating device, such as apparatus for sighting ormeasuring, mounted on a platform that is subject to being deflected fromthe horizontal, as for instance the bridge or deck of a ship.

This invention is particularly applicable to range-finders or'apparatusfor sighting on board ship or guns of position.

According to this invention the apparatus which is to be keptautomatically in a horizontal position or at an inclination at a givenangle, is mounted on a support that is capable of rockingon an axis andis constantly subject to the action of uprightingdevices controlledbythe motion'of a mercury bath contained in a tankmounted on the foot orsupport proper of the apparatus, fixed to the platform that is subjectto the deviations from the horizontal. The action of the mercury bathupon the rocking support carrying the sighting or measuring apparatus,may be produced mechanically by floats for instance, or electrically bymeans of alternate makes and breaks of an electric circuit that producesmovements corresponding to the deviations from the horizontal or from agiven inclination, by the bringing of suitable devices into operation.

Various constructional forms of this invention are illustrated by Way ofexample in the accompanying drawings in which 2-" Figures 1 and 2 arerespectively a cross section on the line 11 of Fig. 2 and a verticallongitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, of a firstconstructional form of this invention designed for correcting automatically the deviations of a range finder on board ship.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section,

of a modification of the device."

Fig. 4 is aside elevation, partly insection,

Specification of Letters Patent.

sriiiarrrzrne ArrAnArus FOR swarms INSTRUMENTS.

Patented @ct. 11, rear.

Application filed December 22, 1919. Serial No. 346,589.

pf a third constructional form of the inven- Fig. 5 F ig. 4:.

Frg. 6 IS a diagram of the electrical connections.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, partly in section,

of a fourth constructional form of the device.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a plan of the same.

10 is a diagram of the electrical connections.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal vertical section of a fifth constructionalform of the device.

Fignl2 1s a plan of the pivoting support.

Fig. 13 is a horizontal XIII-XIII of Fig. 11. f

Fig. 14 is a vertical cross-section on the line XIV-XIV of Fig. 11.

15 is a diagram of the electrical connections.-

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of a sixth constructional form of thedevice.

Fig. 17 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 18 is a horizontal section on the line XVIII-XVIII of Fig. 16.

In Figs. 1 and 2, C is the body of a monostatic range-finder mounted inthe usual manner in a support or carrier B in which it is able to rotateon its longitudinal axis cc for the purpose of shifting the objectivesin a vertical plane.

The support B instead of pivoting directly on the foot A of theapparatus, is constructed according to the present invention in such amanner as to be able to rock on a geometric axis 29-?) at right anglesto the longitudinal axls c'-o of the apparatus 011 an intermediatesupport E which is arranged to pivot around the vertical axis a-a of thefoot A.

For the sake of clearness of the descripof the apparatus C will bereferred to as the rocking support or rockable carrier; the intermediatesupport E will be referred to as the pivoting support; and the foot Awhich is fixed on theplatform subjected to the deviations from thehorizontal, will be referred to as the fixed support.

The stability of the apparatus C, that is is a section on the line V- Vof section on the line to say, in the present case, the maintenance ofthe horizontality of the axis 0-0 is assured by the action, upon therocking support B of devices that are influenced by a mercury level. I

In this first example this level comprises a tank D in the form ofinter-communicating vessels fixed to the pivoting support E, andtherefore subjected to the deviations from the horizontal imparted tothe fixed support A. The plane of the longitudinal axis of the mercurylevel is parallel to the plane of the rocking motion of the range finderC.

The rocking of the support B on the geometric axis bb is insured bymeans of a trunnion 6 formed on B, and for which a bearing '6 isprovided in the pivoting support E. The support B comprises also twoaxle pins 6 fitted with rollers Z1 rolling on circular'track 6 havingits center on Z)-b. A'catch b by engaging the circular track 6 preventsany rising movement of the rocking structure.

The uprighting mechanism comprises plungers F working in the mercurylevel vessels. These plungers act upon arms G G that constitute the beamof a lever G tulcrumed at g on the pivoting support E. The upper end ofthe lever G isengaged in a guide slot of a pin it projecting from aslider H. The latter terminates at its ends in two ramps or cams H Hguided by ribs in corresponding guides E E formed on the support E.Rollers B B mounted on axle pins projecting from the rocking support Bbear respectively upon the cams The pivotal motion of the support E onthe foot A is produced by any suitable known means such as for instancea ring of balls I running in races provided in E and A.

The result of an inclination of the platform carrying the foot A is tocarry with it the pivoting support E and also the tank D carried by thelatter. Since the mercury leveld remains horizontal, the result will bea displacement of one of the two plungers F, and consequently a thrustby the latter upon the corresponding arm of the beam G -G- Thecombination G -GG will then assume in relation to the foot A which hasbecome inclined, for instance the position indicated by dot and dashlines.

The angular displacement G causes a corresponding displacement of theslider II H-H in its guides. The cam H has a tendency to cause theroller B to rise, whereas the roller B is loweredby contact with the camH Consequently the support B is maintained at all times horizontal,whatever the inclination the combination DE-A may have.

It is to be noted that owing to the irreversibility of the cams H H thesupport B, and consequently also the range finder C cannot be deviatedfrom the horizontal by any accidental cause whatever.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section along the axis of one ofthe intercommunieating vessels of the mercury level, of a modificationof the constructional form just hereinbefore described.

In this modification a plurality of plungers F arranged in each of thevessels of the tank D act upon plates J jointed to the ends of therocking support B. By this means a tilting thrust of suitable power isproduced upon the said plates.

In the example shown in Figs. 4, 5 and G the action of the mercury bathupon the rocking support is produced by means of electricity.

In this example the parts of the constructional example shown in Figs. 1and 2 are provided with the same letters of reference. The tank D iscarried by a lever G similar to the lever in that example.

Each of the vessels of the level is closed by an insulating plug Dpierced with an air hole and traversed by a screw D The stem of thescrew is connected by a wire (Z to a relay J (Fig. 6). The relays J areconnected to one another by a wire 7' which is in turn connected by awire l: to one of the terminals of a battery K of low voltage, the otherterminal being connected by a wire (Z to a terminal D provided on thecommunicating conduit between the two vessels, for the purpose oftransmitting the current to the mercury.

Each relay J acts to close by means of the wires j and m, the circuitending at one of the terminals of a high voltage battery IJ through anelectromagnet M which is itself connected directly to the other terminalof the battery by means of a wire m. The windings of the electromagnetsM are fixed to the pivoting support E; and their cores are constitutedby two bars N, N. extending in continuous line with each other; themiddle of the continuous bar being provided with a pin a engaged in aguide slot of the lever G.

I the platform carrying the combination A--ED should become inclined.the tank D will. first become inclined with the said combination, themercury level remaining horizontal; and one of the screws D entering thebath thereby closing the electric circuit (which is normally open)through the relay J and the corresponding electromagnet M. The result isa displacement of the core N which moves by means of the lever G; theslider H and the tank D. The

operation of this slider and ot the cams Il I-I carried by it. is thesame as in the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The tank D moved by themotion of the core N and the lever G. resumes its initial position,thereby 1,393,437; i we;

interrupting afresh the current in'the relay J and in the electromagnetM at the moment when the apparatus a is horizontal.

In the example shown in Figs. 7 to 10 the tank D of themercury level isfixed to the rocking support B. Normally, that is to say, when the axis0-0 of the apparatus C is horizontal, the twoscrews D are slightlyimmersed at their ends in the mercury d. The rocking support B rests bymeans of a rib of inverted .U shape, on rollers it carried by the coresN of the electromagnets whose windings M are fixed to the pivotingsupport E. The jointing and the guiding of B on E are arranged as in theexample shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

As shown in diagram in Fig. 10 the circuits are normally closed throughthe electromagnets M by means of the relays J.

Consequently, normally the cores N occupy a position in which theyprevent any rocking of the support B and of the apparatus C.

If the platform to which the foot A is attached, should happento deviatefrom the horizontal, the mercury level tank D will have a tendency torock with the support B, so that the mercury level descending relativelyto one of the screws D will iinmediately open the circuit throughtherelay J and the corresponding electromagnet M. The resultis animmediate lowering of the core N-n; and the apparatus being raised bythe other core, will assume an inclination in the opposite directionuntil it resumes its horizontal position at the moment when the screw,having become free, is immersed anew in the mercury.

The closings and openings of an electric circuit produced by therelative movements between the tank D and the mercury, instead ofproducing an action upon the body of the apparatus C or upon its supportB, by the displacement of electromagnet cores,'may effect the startingof an electric motor that is connected by suitable transmission to thesupport B.

In the example shown in Figs. 11 to 15 the rocking support B is providedwith a helically toothed sector B having its center on the rocking axisb--b and meshing with a worm O mounted on a shaft 0 that is journaled inbearings provided on a plate 0 fixed to the pivoting support E. On theshaft 0 there is fixed a bevel pinion meshing with a pinion fixed on ashaft P that is normally vertical. This shaft is ournaled in the plate 0and in a plate Q connected to the pivoting support E by means of a rigidsleeve Q it carries at its lower end a worm wheel P meshing with a wormR fixed on a shaft R that is driven by an electric motor S fixed on theplate Q. The mercury level tank D is journaled on an axle (Z mounted ina bracket D attached to the underside of this plate Q. The axle d ispa-rellel to the rocking axis b--?) of the support B. The bracket Dcarries a worm wheel sector D meshing with a worm T fixed on a shaft Tthat is journaled in brack ets Q carried by the plate Q. a

As shown in Fig. 15, the motor S connected to the relays J which areconnected in their turn to the screws D of the mercury level. Normally,the circuit is open in the motor S, the same as in the case of therelays F; the screws D being out of contact with the mercury bath.

If the platform carrying the foot A should happen to deviate from thehorizontal, the mercury comes into'contact with one or the screws D andcloses the circuit through the corresponding relay (left hand relay inthe example shown in Fig. 15). This relay closes in its turn the circuitthrough the motor S whose shaft being actuated in the desired direction,causes through the described transmissions, the wheel P to 1'0 tate andalso the sector 1) to rotate. The rotation of the wheel P produces animmediate uprighting of the support B and of the apparatus G by means ofthe transmission P-O*-G -OB the tank D is uprighted through the sameangle, and moves the screw '1) out of contact with the bath, so that themotor is again out out of circuit as soon as the apparatus has resumedits horizontal position.

Figs. 16, 17 and 18 show an application of this invention to thestabilization of a sighting apparatus for guns on board ship or guns ofposition. In these figures,U is one of the trunnions of a gun carrying aplate U to which there is jointed on an axis 7)b the rocking support 13which carries a sighting apparatus, such as a telescope C for instance,The improved corrector in this application is designed to maintainautomatically the sightrrt the same time ing apparatus C in the positionthat has been imparted to it for aiming notwithstanding any transverseinclination of the axis of the trunnions of the gun.

The improved apparatus comprises as in the preceding examples, amercurylevel device D. This; level is attached to the rocking support B bymeans of a bracket B The screws D arranged as in the example shown inFigs. 7 to 10, are normally immersed slightly in the mercury bath.

the screws D will cease to dip into mercury. The result will be to openthe circuit of the corresponding electromagnet, and consequently producean attraction of the core by the other electromagnet; this attractionhaving for effect to produce a rocking movement in the reverse directionof the support B until the apparatus C has resumed its initial position.At this moment the screw D being released, will dip again into themercury bath, and the circuit which was momentarily open, is closedagain.

In the case where there are mounted on a common platform a plurality ofmeasuring apparatus sighting apparatus or other similar apparatus ofwhich it is desired to assure their stability of position relatively tothe horizontal notwithstanding trans verse inclination of the platform,it is not necessary to provide each of those appa ratus with acompleteCorrector, A single electric motor connected to one of theseapparatus'as described in the constructional form shown in Figs. 11 to15 is capable of transmitting the correcting movement to the whole ofthe apparatus to be stabilized.

hat I claim is:

1. In stabilizing apparatus for sighting instruments mounted on unstableobjects, a support fixed to the unstable object, a rockable carrier forthe sighting instrument mounted on said support, a tank containingmercury mounted on said support to assume the deviations of the unstableobject, the mercury being free to flow to its normal level during thedeviations of the tank, and means controlled by the movement of themercury during deviations of the unstable object for moving the-rockablecarrier to return the sighting instrument to its initial horizontalposition when displaced from the same by deviation of the unstableobject'.

2. In stabilizing apparatus for sighting instruments mounted on unstableobjects, a support comprising a member fixed to the unstable object andan intermediate member pivotally mounted on the fixed member, a rockablecarrier for the sighting instrument mounted on the intermediate member,a tank containing mercury mountedfon said support to assume thedeviations of the unstable object, the mercury being free to flow to itsnormal level during the deviations of the tank, and means controlled bythe movement of the mercury during deviations of the unstable object formoving the rockable carrier to return the sighting instrument to itsinitial horizontal position when displaced from the same by deviation ofthe unstable object.

3. In stabilizing apparatus for Sighting instruments mounted on unstableobjects, a support comprising a member fixed to the unstable object andan intermediate member pivotally mounted on the fixed member, a rockablecarrier iiCl' the sighting instrument mounted on the intermediate memberso that the turning of the latter will change the direction of thecarrier and the sightinginstrument, a tank containing mercury mounted onthe interim-abate member to assume the deviations ot the unstableobject, the mercury being free to how to its normal level during thedeviations of the tank, and means mounted on the apparatus controlled bythe movement of the mercury during deviations of the unstable object formoving the rockable carrier to return the sighting instrument to itsinitial horizontal position when displaced from the same by deviation ofthe unstable object.

In stabilizing apparatus for sighting instruments mounted on unstableobjects, an upright support comprising a foot fixed to the unstableobject and an intermediate member pivotally mounted on the foot torotate about a vertical axis, a rockable carrier for the sightinginstrument pivoted on a horizontal axis to the intermediate member, therotation oi? the intermediate member on its vertical axis changing thehorizontal direction of the carrier and the sighting instrument, a tankcontaining mercury mounted on the intermediate support to assume thedeviations oi the unstable object, the mercury being free to flow to itsnormal level during the deviations of the tank, and

means mounted on the apparatus controlled by the movement of the mercuryduring deviations of the unstable object for moving the rockable carrieron its horizontal axis to return the sighting instrument to its initialhorizontal position when displaced from the same by deviation of theunstable object.

5. In stabilizing apparatus for sighting instruments mounted on unstableobjects, a support comprising a member fixed to the unstable object andan intermediate member pivotally mounted on the fixed member, a rockablecarrier for the sighting instrument pivoted on a horizontal axis to theintermediate member, the turning of the intermediate member on the fixedmember changing the direction of the carrier and the sightinginstrument, an elongated tank containing mercury mounted on the aptiaratus to assume the deviations of the unstable object with thelongitudinal axis of the tank extending in the same direction as thelongitudinal axis of the carrier and the mercury free to flow to itsnormal level from one end of the tank to the other, mechanism mounted onthe apparatus for turning the carrier on its horizontal axis, and meansin the opposite ends of the tank affected by the change of the level ofthe mercury in the tank controlling the operation of said mechanism sothat the operation of the latter will turn the

